Phoenix Suns struggle on offense, work on defense

After leading Miami 21-12, the Heat's league-leading defense swallowed the Suns' former top-ranked offense whole for a 23-point turnaround as the Suns shot 35.5 percent the rest of the game. But the Suns are not worried about their ability to score, feeling like the shots they took Thursday are normally worth 100 points instead of the 83 they posted that were 25 below their average.

The numbers that still bother Coach Alvin Gentry are the team's last-place ranking in rebounding percentage and second-to-last rankings in scoring defense and field-goal-percentage defense. But despite only winning once in its toughest four-game stretch of the season against all .667-plus teams, the Suns have given up 45.5 percent shooting. Until then, the Suns were giving up 49.2 percent shooting on the season.

It goes to Gentry's recent mission to take 100 game possessions and make them 4 percent better defensively, often in help defense.

"I feel good about it for a quarter and a half, and then I think we struggle," Gentry said. "My goal right now is that we've got to find a way to get consistent - consistent in what we think we're going to be able to do night in and night out.

"You can't look at your defensive stats and see that you're 30th, 30th, 29th, 27th. That's not good enough, not to be a playoff team and be a factor in anything."

"I'm the big man who is supposed to protect the paint," Gortat said. "I was a little bit lost in many situations because of the new rotations and new calls."

Carter update

Suns guard Vince Carter (quadriceps-tendon strain) said he is continuing to feel better daily but will not know until Sunday whether he will be able to make his Phoenix debut in that day's game at the Los Angeles Clippers.

Carter sat out Friday's practice scrimmaging, along with Steve Nash for a thigh bruise and Grant Hill for rest after guarding LeBron James.

"We'll go questionable with a little bit of doubt but maybe probable," Gentry joked about what will be a game-time decision on Carter.

"It's going to be up to him as to when he thinks he can go and play. He's itching to get out and play so if he's healthy at all, I think he'll go."

Carter will start at off-guard if he plays, moving Jared Dudley to the bench after scoring 27 and 33 in the past two games for consecutive career highs.

Splint-free

Suns forward Josh Childress was freed Thursdsay of the finger splint that had bound his game since the right-index fingertip fracture Oct. 19.

"Felt like a year," Childress said.

He said everything feels rough to that finger's touch, but he can palm the ball again and dribble, pass and shoot better while also feeling more confident with his left hand after using it so much more over two months.

"I'm just trying to get the feeling back in my finger," Childress said. "It feels good to be able to palm the ball. I'm looking forward to practicing more and playing more."

Hornets update: New Orleans is coming off a game Saturday night at Sacramento. It had a 10-game win streak entering the game and has been the West's biggest surprise despite having stars Chris Paul and David West. New Orleans became the NBA's top-scoring defense after Phoenix knocked Boston down a peg Friday. New Orleans was holding opponents to 43.9 percent shooting, fourth-best in the NBA, for new coach Monty Williams.